Transportable elevators and particularly to car lifters



G. DE PAOLI Sept. 3, 1963 TRANSPORTABLE ELEVATORS AND PARTICULARLY TOCAR LIFTERS Filed Feb. 25, 1961 United States Patent 3,102,713TRANSPORTABLE ELEVATORS AND PARTICU- LARLY T0 CAR LIFTERS Giovanni DePaoli, Grugliasco, Italy, assignor to Engineering Corporation, Limited,Nassau, New PI'OVI- dence, Bahamas Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 91,140Claims priority, application Italy Feb. 27, 1960 4 Claims. (Cl. 254- 8)This invention relates to mobile lifting devices and more particularlyto improvements in the mechanical assembly of transportable liftingmeans designed to lift a motor vehicle to a required height in order toprovide access tothe lowest parts of the chassis and the motor of thevehicle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description when read with the accompanyingdrawings which show an exemplary embodiment of the invention andwherein:

FIGURES l, 2 and 3 show a side view of an embodiment of a transportableelevator or lift in a raised, an intermediate and a lowered positionrespectively; and

FIGURE 4 shows details of FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

The lifting means includes: a framework or base ll) mounted on fourwheels 12 and 14, a pair of which at least are adjustable; and two pairsof parallel levers 16 and 18 connected to opposite sides of base ltl. Itshould be noted that only the pairs of levers is shown on the siderepresented in the drawing; it is however clear that they are coupledlevers, the symmetrical pairs being on the side of the elevator whichcannot be seen.

Each of the levers 16 are of L shape having an end 16a arrangedperpendicular to the remainder of the lever. Lever 16a is connected atthe end thereof to the end or" an arm 29a of one of a pair of three armlevers 2G. The arm 2% of lever 20 is connected to the end of thecorresponding lever 18 while the third arm Ztlc is connected, at point22, to the upper frame 24. The pairs of levers 16, 18 and 20, connectedto the base lit and upper frame 24 and connected also to one another,together with the hydraulic plunger 26 supplying the raising power,represent the supporting structure of upper frame 24. The free end ofcylinder 26a is connected at a point 30 to a transversal support of thebase 10. The connection of plunger 26 to the lever system is shown inFIGURE 7, wherein the upper end of plunger 26 is supplied with a bushingthrough which passes transversal bar 28, that is, a hub linking thepairs of levers 20 to the plunger 26. The interior faces of the levers20 have two cylindrical projections 28A, with through holes toaccommodate the bar 29. Clamping means (not shown) are provided toprevent bar 28 from sliding out. At a short distance from the bar 28, onthe levers 20', angular levers 36, 36A are connected through bar 29.

A pair of tension rods 32 is connected at point 16 to the pair of levers16; the free end of each tension rod 32 being connected at point 34 toan angular lever 36, 36a. The pair of angular levers 36, 36a arepivotally connected to the bar 29, their free ends being provided withsliding rollers 36b guided in button-hole shaped openings 24a located inthe side members of the upper frame 24. The arrangement is such that theelevator, when starting from a wholly lowered position (see FIG. 3)operates as follows:

The hydraulic plunger 26, 26a in a rest position is almost parallel tothe base 10 While the upper frame 24 is slightly tilted towards theportion 26 of the plunger 26, 26a to make the loading operations of themotor vehicle or of any other mass on the upper frame 24 easier. In FIG.3 it is clearly shown that, when the elevator is in a lowered position,the alignment of the point 39 and hub 28 of the hydraulic plunger 26,26a do not pass through the axis of the point 22 of the levers 20, 200.Such a disposition avoids any jamming in the initial raising phase. Thethrust supplied by the hydraulic plunger 26, 26a, operated by a motorpump or by hand, generates a vertical component P causing thearticulated levers to open, whilst the upper frame 24 is lifted. Themovement of the tension rod 32, and the levers 36-36a and the shape ofthe opening 24a engaged by the rollers 36b keep the upper frame 24 in aconstant parallel position with respect to the base 10. The elevator,under the influence of thrust P, passes from the position represented byFIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 2 and finally to the position shown byFIG. 1. The weight supported on upper frame 24 is carried by thearticulations A, B, C, D, which in the final raising phase are ideallyplaced at the top of an irregular pyramid modifying its angles duringthe raising, so as to confer the highest stability to the elevator. Theend 16a of L-shaped levers 16 and the arms 20a of the levers 2%) freetheir articulations D from the alignment of the points where power isapplied in its initial raising phase (FIG. 3) allowing upper frame 24 tobe lowered as far down as base 10, which is very important with regardto the loading operations.

The apparatus is completed by suitable arms 38, the heads of which canbe engaged in the side members of the up er frame 24 together with aparticular device for the spring suspension of the base It} andconsequently of the complete elevator with respect to at least the pairof wheels 14.

The end of the plunger 42a is connected at point 54 to the lever 52 andnot directly to the foot 40a of the bracket 46), so as to reduce thelength of the cylinder 42 and of its plunger 42a, this allowing toreduce the raising effort, within certain limits of course.

In the embodiment described and illustrated the main object in view hasbeen to provide a lifting means which is both strong and efilcient andcan be easily transported.

Of course while the practical construciton of the elevators in questioncan be slightly modified, it cannot depart from the nature of thepresent invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A transportable elevator comprising an upper frame, a base, ahydraulic plunger, 21 pair of three armed levers including upper, middleand lower arms, means for pivot- :ably connecting said upper arms tosaid upper frame, pivot means on said upper arms, means for connectingone end oi said hydraulic plunger to said pivot means, a pair of rightangle levers including ends at right angles to each other, means forpivotably connecting one of the ends of each of said right angle leversto said base, means for pivota'bly connecting the other ends of saidright angle levers to the middle arms respectively of each of said threearmed levers, means for pivotably connecting the lower arms of saidthree armed levers to said base, and

V j 3 means for pivotably connecting the other end of said hydraulicplunger to said base.

2. The elevator of claim 1 including a pair of angular levers includingfirst and second ends, first means for pivotably connecting the firstends of said angular levers to said upper frame, and means for pivotablyconnecting said angular levers respectively to said three armed levers.

3. The elevator of claim 2 including slots in said upper frame andwherein said first means are sliding rollers fitted in said slots andconnected to the first ends of said angular levers.

4. The elevator of claim 2 including a pair of tension 4- rods forpivotably connecting the second ends of said angular levers to saidright angle levers respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,613,822 Stanley Oct. 14, 1952 2,706,102 Oresci Apr. 12, 1955 2,766,007Krilanovich Oct. 9, 1956 2,785,807 Prowinsky Mar. 19, 1957 2,998,224Reisig Aug. 29, 1961

1. A TRANSPORTABLE ELEVATOR COMPRISING AN UPPER FRAME, A BASE, AHYDRAULIC PLUNGER, A PAIR OF THREE ARMED LEVERS INCLUDING UPPER, MIDDLEAND LOWER ARMS, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY CONNECTING SAID UPPER ARMS TO SAIDUPPER FRAME, PIVOT MEANS ON SAID UPPER ARMS, MEANS FOR CONNECTING ONEEND OF SAID HYDRAULIC PLUNGER TO SAID PIVOT MEANS, A PAIR OF RIGHT ANGLELEVERS INCLUDING ENDS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLYCONNECTING ONE OF THE ENDS OF EACH OF SAID RIGHT ANGLE LEVERS TO SAIDBASE, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY CONNECTING THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID RIGHT ANGLELEVERS TO THE MIDDLE ARMS RESPECTIVELY OF EACH OF SAID THREE ARMEDLEVERS, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY CONNECTING THE LOWER ARMS OF SAID THREEARMED LEVERS TO SAID BASE, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY CONNECTING THE OTHEREND OF SAID HYDRAULIC PLUNGER TO SAID BASE.